1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retrieving device, and more particularly, a hunting gear retriever.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for grappling hooks have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 2,341,435, Issued on Feb. 8, 1944, to Galea teaches a tool for recovering foreign objects in toilet bowls, comprising a chain, a grappling hook at one end thereof, and a perforated ball sliding on the chain to occupy a position adjacent the grappling hook whereby the ball and grappling hook may be washed through the bowl by normal flushing action.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 3,097,373, Issued on Jul. 16, 1963, to Wisti teaches for use in retrieving an object submerged in a body of water; manually usable retrieving means comprising a float having a line passage extending axially therethrough, a retrieving line having a portion passing slidingly through the passage, a grapple means embodying a shank provided at one end with radial circumferentially spaced hooks, provided at the other end with an eye to which an end of the line is connected, and an elongated weight carried by and surrounding the shank between the eye and hooks, the weight being of a cross-section that it is adapted when not in use to fit telescopingly in an end portion of the passage in the float with the terminals of the hooks abutting an end of the float, a spool on which the line is adapted to be wound, and a handle-equipped holder for the spool and also the float, the size and radial spread and circumferential spacing of the hooks being such that the terminal ends embrace the cooperating end portion of the float in a safeguarded manner.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 3,336,067, Issued on Aug. 15, 1967, to Cloyd teaches a fishing accessory comprising a length of wire shaped to define a U-shaped bight portion and an annular loop portion, one end of the wire being shaped to define an eye and the other end thereof being shaped to define a hook engageable with the eye for closing the loop portion, a weight connected to and enclosing an intermediate portion of the bight portion with a closed end of the bight portion extending from the body of the weight for form an eye for receiving a safety line, a plurality of grappling hook members having a shank terminated in a coil having at least two turns through which the first mentioned hook passes for supporting the grappling hook members on the looped portion, and a plurality of tubular spacers on the loop portion for separating the hook members.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 3,772,815, Issued on Nov. 20, 1973, to Burgess teaches a fish lure retriever which includes a weighted body having a large central aperture opened on one side by a narrow slot. The body is connected to a heavy cord and permitted to slide down a fish line having a snagged lure on its lower end. Slotted weights are detachably connected to the lower end of the retriever, the slots opening into the aperture to engage the fish line. The body has a plurality of grapple hooks loosely secured to its lower end and adapted to grapple with the object on which the lure is snagged so that the object can be lifted to the surface along with the lure snagged thereon, or if the object is too heavy to pull the lure therefrom.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 4,817,326, Issued on Apr. 4, 1989, to Benjestorf teaches a hollow tube capable of passing one or more turns of fishing line through its bore is encased by a spheroidal bubble member, creating an airtight chamber between the tube and the bubble member. Within this airtight chamber a predetermined amount of high density lead metal shot allows predetermination of the aggregate weight and density of the casting bubble. The weight is important during casting and the density is important for controlled flotation during lure retrieval. The shifting high density material changes the center of gravity of the weighted casting bubble between those times when the bubble is cast and during its retrieval. During retrieval the weighted casting bubble resists angular rotation.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 6,106,042, Issued on Aug. 22, 2000, to McCloy Jr. teaches a manually-operable device for use by tree stand hunters for retrieving items that have been left on the ground or that have fallen from the hunter or tree stand onto the ground, includes an elongated shank, a rope having one end attached to the shank and an opposite end for grasping by the hunter situated in the tree stand, a plurality of flexible arms attached to the shank which are movable from an open position to a gripping position and are radially disposed circumjacent the longitudinal axis of the shank, a trigger plate slidably mounted on the arms for selectively spreading the arms and selectively closing the arms so that the item can be retrieved and released, and a weighted disc mounted on the shank for linear, reciprocable movement thereon so that the movement of the disc on the shank causes the disc to contact the trigger plate thereby forcing the trigger plate to slide on the arms, thus drawing the arms toward the shank axis so that the arms engage and retrieve the item.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 6,267,424, Issued on Jul. 31, 2001, to Gillette teaches a light weight compact grappling hook which finds use in at least urban terrain comprising a small head member provided with a plurality of arms or blades which are serrated and/or provided with cutting surfaces/edges. The shaft which is connected to the head can be rigid or flexible. The flexible feature facilitates achieving a hold on surfaces which might otherwise be difficult. The arms or blades are each pivotally supported on pairs of pins and can be spread from folded storage positions and locked in position prior to deployment, or can be spring biased so that spreading and operative deployment is achieved en route to the target.
AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2003/0116074, Published on Jun. 26, 2003, to Williams teaches a grappling hook for use in mooring boats. It has an elongated shank defining an axis and having first and second ends thereon. The shank has a mooring line fastened to the first end and a hook-shaped grasping end at the second end extending outward from the axis. The hook has a balance point on the shank where the weight of the first end equals the weight of the second end. To moor the boat, the hook is thrown therefrom over an obstruction by the mooring line and drawn toward the boat, and when the balance point on the shank reaches the obstruction, the force of gravity lifts the hook end from the obstruction and rotates it downward about the shank to engage the obstruction, making fast the boat.
A NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 6,640,486, Issued on Nov. 4, 2003, to Rigney teaches a hook having a shank with an eye at one end and a bent portion culminating in a point at the other end and having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of water is combined with a buoyant body mounted on the hook and means connected to the hook which, in cooperation with the buoyant body, causes the point of the hook to float above the eye of the hook in the water. In one embodiment, the cooperating means is a weight mounted on the hook or made integrally as part of the hook and located between the eye of the hook and the buoyant body so as to cause the eye to orient below the buoyant body. In another embodiment, the cooperating means is a plug to which the eye is pivotally connected to provide a point about which the buoyant body will cause the hook to rotate and thus orient the point of the hook above the eye. In an alternate to the latter embodiment, the pivotal connection can be arranged so that the point of the hook is directed toward the rear of the plug.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for grappling hooks have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.